Jo Malone seems to be a fragrance line which manages to stay creatively true to their history while simultaneously making modern compositions. The installation of Christine Nagel as in-house perfumer at Jo Malone is much of the reason for the success of this tricky balancing act. The releases in 2011 were very light almost watercolor-like celebrating afternoon tea, cherry blossoms, and bluebells. I liked them very much but I really like Mme Nagel’s creations when she is delving into the intersection of two different notes.

I got the chance to try two of the new London Blooms collection, Peony & Moss and White Lilac & Rhubarb. Both of these are very different intersections as Peony & Moss is a green synergy and White Lilac & Rhubarb is a crossroads of floral and vegetal. I like both of these very much and am looking forward to trying the third fragrance Iris & Lady Moore which sounds like spicy and powdery come together.

Peony & Moss is a simple construction which hides a shifting mosaic of green notes sliding around to form something very nice for the green fragrance lover. Mme Nagel opens with a deep currant paired with ivy. The ivy is the stronger of these two notes and it sets up the arrival of the peony and a slight bit of galbanum in the heart. All three green notes carry forward into the base where a beautifully realized oakmoss accord awaits. These four notes then seem to shift and shimmer like a mirage as they all predominate then attenuate. For those who love green, of which I am one, Peony & Moss is one you must try.

White Lilac & Rhubarb takes a trio of floral notes and spears them with a fresh stalk of rhubarb to create something quite interesting. Mme Nagel starts with a simple lilac note standing alone. It is a sheer lightly elegant lilac drifting to my nose from afar. The lilac grows stronger and then heliotrope and rose add to the floralcy on display. At this point White Lilac & Rhubarb feels like many fresh florals I could name but then, like a javelin, rhubarb penetrates the trio of floral notes and the slightly sweet vegetal quality disrupts the simple floral beauty and now brings out the greener qualities of all three floral notes. Now you notice the leaves and the earth they reside in. It is a lovely bit of olfactory prestidigitation to go from something common to something uncommon all by adding one reflective note in the rhubarb.    

Both of these fragrances have average longevity and average sillage.

In the press materials it was said Mme Nagel was inspired by the old style botanical illustrations like those displayed above. While she might have been inspired by the past she is clearly composing perfume in the future as both of these fragrances feel very current. I think both of these will create some new Jo Malone converts while delighting those of us who keep up with each new release.

Disclosure: This review was based on samples purchased from The Perfumed Court.

–Mark Behnke, Managing Editor